Diaper clip



March 8, 1960 THQMAS, JR 2,927,359

DIAPER CLIP Filed Nov. 26, 1957 INVENTO'E 2 513 4 THO/MAJ J72 ATTORNEY United States Patent 1 DIAPER CLIP Fred G. Thomas, Jr., Somerville, N .J

Application November 26, 1957, Serial No. 699,027

4 Claims. (Cl. 24-2'55) This invention relates to a diaper clip, and more particularly to a device of this character for fastening swaddling clothes in overlapping layers about the waistline of the infant.

The conventional safety pins employed for this purpose are safe only when closed, but dangerous when in the open position necessary for their application, being subject to accidental sticking of the body of the infant or the fingers of the attendant with the point of the pin. Furthermore, it is essential to the operation of the safety pin that it penetrate the layers of the diaper, which operation shortens theuseful life of the garment. I

Fasteners for other purposes are not suitable for diapers. Paper clips for securing together thin sheets of paper are too small and weak to effect sufficient grip to hold together the circumferentially overlapping folds of the diaper with the tightness desired to form a band with a snug comfortable fit to the waistline of the infant.

Clothespins are for securing wet wash in spaced relation onto a clothesline, and depend on the presenceand thickness of the rope over which the cloth is folded for their gripping action. There is no band forming, no circumferential tightness or body fitting comfort involvedin their use.

The main objects of the present invention are, therefore, to avoid the objections to safety pins, overcome the inoperativeness of other fasteners, and to provide a diaper clip which can be applied without sticking the infant or attendant, without penetrating the fabric of the diaper, and which will grip the circumferentially overlapping band forming layers of the diaper with sufiicient tightness to provide a'snug and comfortable fit to the waistline of the infant.

According to the present invention the diaper clip is formed of molded plastic material and comprises a solid central depending lobe and a solid depending side lobe extending laterally on each side of said central lobe, and top loops connecting the upper ends of said side lobes with the upper end of said central lobe. The inner edges of the side lobes below said top loops converge down into points in close proximity with the outer edges of the intermediate portion of said central lobe to form localized pinch grips therebetween. The side lobes extend from the points of said pinch grips at the bottoms of said loops and diverge laterally away from the lower portion of said central lobe.

The clip may, therefore, be applied to said overlapping band portions of the diaper with the central lobe in back and the side lobes in front thereof and held in position by both of said pinch grips. The front-to back and transverse resiliency of the clip gives the pinch grips sufficient tightness to provide a snug fit to the waistline of the infant.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an infant wearing a diaper fastened by a clip according to the present inventio I such as nylon.

ice

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the clip;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the clip shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the clip shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation showing the first step in applying the clip;

Pig. 6 is a similar view showing a later step; and

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing an additional step.

The clip shown in the drawing comprises a central depending lobe 10 and a laterally extending lobe on each side thereof at 12 and 14. Top loops 15 and 16 are provided connecting the upper ends of the side lobes 12 and 14 with the upper end of the central lobe 10.

The inner edges of the side lobes 12 and 14 below the top loops 15 and 16 converge downwardly into points in close proximity with an intermediate portion of the central lobe 10 to form pinch grips 17 and 18 therebetween, and the side lobes 12 and 14 extend from the bottoms of the loops 15 and 16 and diverge laterally away from the lower portion of the central lobe 10.

The central lobe 10 converges downwardly from the pinch grips 17 and 18 forming a rounded point to facilitate insertion of the central lobe 10 behind the overlapped diaper portions A and B. The side lobes 12 and 14 extend substantially in line with this rounded point, to

prevent the rounded point from discomforting the infant.

The clip is one piece of fiat material preferably a plastic The central lobe 10 is solid as are the side lobes 12 and 14. The central lobe 10 is provided with smooth barbs 19 and 20 above the pinch grips 17 and 18 to cooperate therewith to resist removal of the clip from the overlapped portions A and B of the diaper.

The solid side lobes 12 and 14 have their side faces roughened to increase the friction of the finger grip thereof; preferably by a molded ornamental rosette such as shown at 22.

In operation, as shown in Fig. 5, band forming portions A and B of the diaper are overlapped as usual, and the clip is grasped with the side lobe 14 between the thumb and middle finger, and the index finger on top of one or both of .the top loops 15 and 16. Then the central lobe 10 is inserted in back of the overlapped diaper portions A and B which now lie between the center lobe 10 and the side lobe 14.

Then, as shown in Fig. 6, the other side lobe 12 is brought over the front of the overlapped portions A and B of the diaper, which now lie between the center lobe 10 and the side lobe 12. The overlapping portions A and B are now held together by both pinch grips 17 and 18. The front-to-back and transverse resiliency of the clip gives the pinch grips sufficient tightness to provide a snug fit to the waistline of the infant.

As shown in Fig. 7, the infants shirt C is provided with a hold-down tab D, which is pulled down and caught under both side lobes 12 and 14, and preferably engaged by both pinch grips 17 and 18.

What is claimed is:

1. For use upon an infant having a waistline, in applying thereto a diaper having end portions, by wrapping the diaper around the wistline of the infant and bringing the diaper end portions into overlapping relation thereof, a diaper clip for fastening together overlapping portions of the diaper forming a band about the waistline of the infant, and formed of resilient plastic material comprising a solid central depending lobe having an upper end and symmetrical outer edges depending therefrom with oppositely disposed symmetrical transversely projecting points at an intermediate portion thereof and a solid depending side lobe extending laterally on each side of said central lobe and each having an upper end and an inner edge depending therefrom, and top loops connecti iven-s59 ing the upper ends of the side lobes with the npperend H of said central lobe, the inner edges of the side'lobes below said top loops converging down smoothly and symmetrically into close proximity with said transversely projecting oppositely disposed points of the outer edges of the intermediate portion of said central lobe to form localized pinch' grips therebetween, and said side lobes extending, frozn'the pinch grips at the bottoms of said by the front-to-back and transverse resiliency of the clip with sufiicient tightness to provide'a snug fit to the waistline of the infant. V a a 2. A diaper clip as claimedinclaim l, in which the symmetrical outer edges of said central lobe below said top loops and above said oppositely'disposed transversely projectingpoints-at "an intermediate portion thereof are provided wi-th rounded barbs to cooperate with the pinch grips-to resist removal of the clip from the overlapped portions of the diaper.

3 3. For use'upon an infant having a waistline, in applying thereto a diaper having end portions, by wrapping the diaper around the waistline of the infant and bringing the diaper end portions into overlapping relation thereof, a diaper clip'for fastening together overlapping portions of the. diaper forming a band about the waistline of the infant, and formed of resilient solid plastic material comprising a solid centraldepending lobe having an upper end and a solid depending side lobe on each side thereof and each having an upper end, and top loops connecting said upper ends of the side lobes with' said verging down into close proximity with said oppositely applied to said overlapping band portions ofi the diaper with said lobes alternately inback and in front thereof and held in position by bothef said spaced apart pinch grips by the front-to-back' and transverse resiliency of the clip with sufiicient tightness to provide a snug fit of the band to the waistlineof the infant.

4. For use upon an infant having a waistline,in applying thereto a diaper having end portions, by wrapping the diaper around the waistline of the infant and bringing the diaper end portions into overlappingrelation thereof,

' a diaper clip for fastening together overlapping portions 7 of the-diaper forming a band about the waistline oil the disposed points to form Spaced apart pinch grips therecreasing as they diverge to form thumb pieces for grasp- Y ing and manipulating the clip, whereby said clip may be infant, and formed of resilientsolid plastic material comprising a solid central depending lobe having an upper end and a solid depending lobe on each side theretof and each having an upper end, and top loops connecting said upper ends of the side lobes with said upper end of the central lobe, said central'lobehaving-outer side edges diverging down from saidtop loops into oppositely disposed points at a wide portion of said central lobe and converging therebelow for a length into a rounded point, said side lobes having inner edges-converging downinto close proximity with said oppositely disposed points to form spaced apart pinch grips t-herebetween, and said side lobes extending away from said pinch grips and'divergii'ig laterally away from'the lower converging portion of said central lobe for a length, the length of saidside lobes away from their pinch grips being greater than the length of said central lobe below said pinch grips", and the width of said side'lobes-increasing as they diverge to form thumb pieces and having surface projections and indenrations to increase the friction {or grasping and manipulatingthe clip, whereby said clip maybe applied to said overlapping band portions-of the diaperwith said lobes alternately in back and in front thereof and held inposition by both of said spaced apart pinch grips by the frontto=back and transverse resiliency of the clip with sufficient tightness to provide a snug lit of the band to the waistline of the infant. I

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 550,604 Eastwood Dec. 3, 1895 563.961 Heys f July 14, 1896 2,160,346 Valentine a- May 30, 1939.

Y FOREIGN PATENTS 134.017 Germany a.. Sept; 4, 1902' Great Britain I Mar, I7; 192i 

